The Safe Way to Detox Post-Holidays

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Were you not-so-nice-to your liver over the holidays? It happens to the best of us. But, if you're looking to reverse the damage (or at least try to reset your body to normal mode) after over-indulging, you don't need to completely cut out those cocktails—at least that's the recommendation from the British Liver Trust.

According to the trust, it's better to take a couple days off drinking per week, rather than cut out alcohol entirely for the whole month of January, as some of us might be tempted to do. Apparently establishing good habits year round, rather than trying for a quick fix, is better for your body in the long run.

We asked nutritionist Tamara Duker-Freuman, R.D. for her take on this theory and she says that it's far healthier to choose a few nights of abstinence on a regular basis rather than taking a whole month off drinking—only to resume unhealthy, excessive alcohol consumption for the rest of the year. "Research has shown that binge drinking can be more harmful to the liver than regular, but more moderate, alcohol intake," she says. "Anything that reduces both the total alcohol intake as well as the frequency of intake is a welcome step for your liver, so going from drinking seven nights per week to five nights per week is good."

But, other than cutting your alcohol intake, Duker-Freuman says that you don't need to do any crazy detoxing to counteract all the fun you had over the holidays—your body is well-equipped to filter all the bad stuff out on its own. However, she says you can show your liver some extra love by eating few servings of sulfur-containing cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts each week, which help the vital organ naturally clean itself. She also suggests watching your intake of refined carbs and sugar, which can contribute to fatty liver and eventually impair liver function.

So, rather than totally banning booze, you might want to take a look at your daily diet instead to help get you back on track for the new year. We'll cheers to that!